Stauropegic

Stauropegic

Stauropegic, also rendered stavropegic, stauropegial, or stavropegial (from stauros, "cross", and pegio, "to affirm") is a title or description applied to Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christian monasteries subordinated directly to a Patriarch or Synod, rather than to their local Bishop. It derives from the Byzantine tradition of summoning the Patriarch to place a cross at the foundation of such monasteries.

The Greek custom, first introduced by Nikon, was continued by other Patriarchs and by the Holy Governing Synod. It should be noted that stauropegic houses were not always the most important monasteries, the holiest, the richest, or the largest. They might have been dear to the ruling Patriarch for personal reasons. In the 19th century, apart from four Lavras, seven monasteries were considered stauropegial:

Stauropegic monasteries in Ukrainian Greek Catholicism

A stauropegial monastery (monasterium stauropegiaceum), in other words, under patriarchal jurisdiction (monasterium iuris patriarchalis), is a monastery which is subject directly to the patriarch (can. 434 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches).